It's the wasp's elbows

Famous People Deaths

I am sure you noticed that sometime people whom you know and respect as famous musicians, authors and actors get too old and suddenly die. Or just suddenly die, without even getting that old. Accidents happen. And you obviously get sad because those people created stuff that you love and enjoy, and now it is gone...

Is it, though?

Things that they created will stay with us. Maybe not forever, but for as long as we have internet and computers around. It is alright to grieve for people whose work you loved, but it is important to appreciate the stuff they managed to do already. And this is why I am making this thread. Mostly because year 2016 started with deaths of two extremely talented people, and I feel, I should remind you and myself, why those people are as famous and that much appreciated.

This thread is sort of a news thread. Though, I do hope I will not have to update it too often. And, since it's about a bit of a delicate subject, I would like to make some rules right away:

If you want to make a post about a recent celebrity death - you are allowed to do so if post about that person wasn't made yet. Death should be relatively recent, and please take time to show your appreciation and make a good post, and state for others what you think that person should be most appreciated for.

If the post about famous dead person is here already, but you want to add something to it, or just discuss the tragic event, please use sub-posting under relevant post.

No holy-wars or trolling. This is a place to respect those who contributed to all of us. Show some dignity.

One of the greatest - and certainly one of the weirdest - musical giants of our time. I mean, look at him even! He has distinctly androgynous look, which he actively used, up to wearing dresses even, one of his eyes is different colors from another - which is a result of an old injury. If you would see him, you would immediately get the feeling of meeting someone not of this world.
David Bowie dabbled in many musical genres, but it is very fitting that his success was tied with the Moon Landing. His song "Space Oddity", while not being about the moon exactly, got released in time for moon landing, which brought him commercial success, from which he went on to create more interesting and weird music. In time, he collaborated with other greats. For example, he collaborated with Queen to create Under Pressure, and he was the one to write The Man Who Sold The World for Nirvana.
Not only that, but he also acted in movies, creating weird and memorable characters, from Goblin King in Labyrinth to Tesla in Prestige.

I will say it right now - it pains me to see so many people knowing Rickman only by his role in Harry Potter movies. Such narrow-mindness should be shamed. Not only Rickman is much broader actor than that, he is, in his very core, a theater actor. It is said, at times he would even reject offers for movies to participate in theater performances.
Then again, it is true, that this British master of acting is known to us mostly for his movies. He was the one to play Hans Gruber, the iconic villain from the first Die Hard. But even though this was the role he was associated with for years to come, his could play all sorts of characters. Metatron from Dogma, Alexander Dane from Galaxy Quest, yes, obviously, Severus Snape from Potter movies, Judge Turpin from Sweeny Todd... list goes on.
And speaking of Todd. Not only Rickman possesses great acting ability, but he also has very distinctive voice. Listen to him singing together with Depp. Or just listen to the characters that he voiced like Marvin from Hitchhiker's Guide or Blue Caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland. He was genuinely pleasant even to just listen to.

Monyreak "Monty" Oum (June 22, 1981 – February 1, 2015) was an American web-based animator and writer. A self-taught animator, he scripted and produced several crossover fighting video series, drawing the attention of internet production company Rooster Teeth, who hired him. There, he provided custom animations for Red vs. Blue, and created the original animated series RWBY.

On January 22, 2015, Oum was hospitalized following a severe allergic reaction during a routine medical procedure that rendered him comatose. On January 30, Rooster Teeth co-founder Burnie Burns stated that Oum was "in critical care and it is not known if he will recover". A donation page was set up for the medical expenses on GoFundMe; the goal of $50,000 was reached within three hours, with the fundraiser reaching $100,000 in four hours, $150,000 within 24 hours, and $243,000 within 12 days. On February 1, 2015 at 4:34 PM, Oum died as a result of the allergic reaction. His funeral was held on February 7.

A tribute podcast to Oum took place the day after his death. An episode of the popular series Death Battle, whose animator and cast were heavily influenced by Oum, dedicated the episode Boba Fett vs Samus Remastered to him, and also had an animated dance sequence that paid tribute to his work, though the song used, Shine from the RWBY soundtrack, was removed due to copyright some weeks after.

A tribute to Oum was included in the intro to Volume 3 of RWBY. It contains a piano-ballad with a rose petal falling from the sky. When it reaches the ground his name appears.

I pretty much know this fella when he did his awesome crossover videos of DOA and FF, named Dead Fantasy, which was somehow left hanging and since then he pretty much made huge name in Red vs. Blue (damn I have to re-watch this) and RWBY.

I remember when Kristina Nguyen came to our Comic Fiesta 2015 event for the RWBY panel, and she would talk of some little things about Monty; we tried not to get in touch too much with the sensitive topic. She would say how he was when he was alive, and it seemed that all of us missed him a lot, like, he was still so young to passed away, and everyone still needs him. RWBY just passed Volume 2 when he passed away. If you're a follower, you know that moment when they actually continue it. People questioned a lot when he died, if they will ever continue the story or let it die with him (it's kinda insensitive of them though, but yeah, it's an eventuality). But they moved on with the story, and that was the happiest day of our lives, to know that he'll be honored that way. It was a tribute they at least could do, to finish his story.

I know I never say this yet but it's kind of obvious that he's one of my idol in terms of art people, not just because of his skills (fuck I can't do 3D to save my life), but because of his determination to make something, he told us, just do it, find time for it, because if we don't do it now, when will we ever? That's probably one of my source of optimism, if he can do it, so can I, if not in art itself, but life in general.

Idk if people know him, but this was one of the first ever gore-ish film i watched and i have been a fan of him ever since.

Gunnar Hansen

In 1973, just after finishing graduate school, Hansen heard that The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was being filmed in Austin and decided to try out. He got the part of Leatherface, the masked killer in the movie. Hansen apparently visited and studied children with special needs to determine mannerisms for Leatherface.

After the success of the movie, Hansen co-starred in Demon Lover, but after the experience he decided not to continue acting, instead pursuing a writing career. In 1975, after one extra year of graduate school, Hansen moved back to Maine and started writing. During this time he rejected a part he was offered in the cult horror film The Hills Have Eyes.

For me, Hansen has been like an iconic villain ever since he starred in the TCM, well, and 20 other films. But despite that, he is alsp a writer and has devoted his life into writing and teaching. After his writing carreer, he started acting again and has treated many films and documentaries, and even script writing as a side project since his main focus was to write solemnly on his own pace.

Others might not know him, just because some might not like the film that gave birth to Leatherface, but he is treated as one of the most iconic villains in cinema.

He died at the age of 68, due to pancreatic cancer, last November 2015 in his homestead, Maine.

His agent said that Hansen published his book, Chain Saw Confidential, in 2013, detailing behind-the-scenes information on how the film was made. In it he revealed that the inspirations behind the film had included the fairytale Hansel and Gretel.

Hansen, a keen naturalist, also published Islands at the Edge of Time in 1993, depicting his journey along America's barrier islands from Texas to North Carolina.

I have to say, I don't know much about this guy myself. But damn, he did look fabulous, he's famous, and his music inspired millions. So yeah, I think he should be mentioned. He had singles going out since late 70-ies and up to these days. And his actual name IS prince - Prince Rogers Nelson. That's pretty fabulous.

As others talented musicians, he dabbled in many styles, and like many of those of his generation, he looked... Well, seriously, just google some pictures. Seriously, musicians rocked the most weird and cool outfits of the time. Also, he was never afraid to shock the audience. Seriously, one of his songs is pretty much about female masturbation. Okay? Okay. That guy had balls, and people actually started a whole censorship organization cause of him! I can very much respect that.

Well, to sum it up, another legend of the old music world is down, and world is now that much less fab.

Pay Money to My Pain (stylized as Pay money To my Pain and abbreviated as P.T.P.) was a Japanese alternative rock/metal band. All of the band's lyrics are in English.
K, real name Kei Goto (後藤慶), was often in poor physical condition and suffered from mental health issues (he talked about depression in some of his songs). On January 10, 2013, Pay Money to My Pain announced that K died on December 30, 2012 at age 31 due to acute heart failure at his home in Yokohama.
In December 2013, Pay money To my Pain played their last concert, entitled "From Here to Somewhere" before disbanding.

Wouldn't be surprised if nobody here knows this guy or the band, but this is one of the most influential celebrity deaths for me. I absolutely adore their music and messages in Kei's lyrics. I still can't get over this, even though it's been a while, his death destroyed me. He also contributed to the success of my favorite band by getting them to meet the right people.

You might have heard their music in:

"Bury", from the album After You Wake Up, was featured as the opening theme to the anime One Outs.

Weight of my Pride was featured in episode 12 of the anime series Hajime no Ippo: Rising.

Respect for the Dead Man was also used as the theme song for the Nobunagun anime.

I don't want to make this post longer, so if anyone is interested the official announcement of Kei's death along with some words from the band members are on the official P.T.P website's news, dated 2013.01.10 (scroll down to see English).

Muhammad Ali, the silver-tongued boxer and civil rights champion who famously proclaimed himself "The Greatest" and then spent a lifetime living up to the billing, is dead.

Ali died Friday at a Phoenix-area hospital, where he had spent the past few days being treated for respiratory complications, a family spokesman confirmed to NBC News. He was 74.

"After a 32-year battle with Parkinson's disease, Muhammad Ali has passed away at the age of 74. The three-time World Heavyweight Champion boxer died this evening," Bob Gunnell, a family spokesman, told NBC News.

Ali had suffered for three decades from Parkinson's Disease, a progressive neurological condition that slowly robbed him of both his legendary verbal grace and his physical dexterity. A funeral service is planned in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.

Even as his health declined, Ali did not shy from politics or controversy, releasing a statement in December criticizing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States. "We as Muslims have to stand up to those who use Islam to advance their own personal agenda," he said.

The remark bookended the life of a man who burst into the national consciousness in the early 1960s, when as a young heavyweight champion he converted to Islam and refused to serve in the Vietnam War, and became an emblem of strength, eloquence, conscience and courage. Ali was an anti-establishment showman who transcended borders and barriers, race and religion. His fights against other men became spectacles, but he embodied much greater battles.

Yes, some of you people know this guy only for this meme picture. But he is the original Willy Wonka, and just as wacky as Depp, who did this role in a later remake. He is the Leo Bloom in iconic Mel Brooks movie 'The Producers' (1968). He is the Dave Lyons from 'See No Evil, Hear No Evil' (1989)...
Great comedy actor, good friend of Richard Pryor (yeah, you probably have no idea who that it either) and Mel Brooks, this guy represented a whole era of comedy as it developed. Sadly, he apparently had Alzheimer's disease, which was the cause of death. 83 is a venerable age, but it's still sad to know that another legend is now gone forever. He was a ton of laughs.

It is time to say good buy to one of the most famous revolutionaries and Marxist–Leninist leaders of the modern history. Fidel! Daaaaaamn... That was the guy who pretty much organized communist-governed country right under the belly us the USA. And they hated it. The guy whose actions eventually raised tensions so high, it almost resulted in the nuclear war back when people still thought that it might possible be not such a bad idea. Fuck,. he had (allegedly) 638 attempts on his life made, and he died natural death, aged 90.

He had balls of steel. Also beard. Possibly, beard of steel. He was a political titan of olde breed, and remained that was throughout his whole life. Hell, he stopped being president just something like 10 years ago, after 32 years of being one. He defied more things than most of you would ever learn about. It is sad to see this relic of cold war gone, but goddamn, he had a long run, and he lived his life in full.

Well, the year has passed, and let me say - god fucking damnit, this was one nasty year for famous and impactful people! I mean, let's face it, this very thread was made in early 2016, when I suddenly felt like we might actually need it. And damn, I had no idea. From January when we lost Bowie and Rickman, which clearly stated what kind of year that would be, to Carrie Fisher and her mother just a single day apart this very December.

Sadly, all of you survived, I guess, so here, have a memorium compilation.

Born: 12 July 1959, New York City, New York, USA
Died: 12 April 2017, New York City, New York, USA (complications from leukemia)
Age: 57

This guy is a minor celebrity, only because he is naturally overshadowed by his small brother, who is, well, Eddie Murphy. Still, this guy is good in his own right - voice actor, comedian, actor, writer for comedy shows. Entertainer. Just to give you some good reference, he voice acted for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, so yeah.

Actually, Eddie helped jump-start his own career, and later they worked together on some movies and shows. And now, sadly, as so many entertainers out there, he dies way before old age, from a leukemia disease.

I will say, dying of cancer sure sucks, but 89 is a damn decent age. Still, sad to know this one is gone, because this is the guy who was chose to be even more manly and dashing than Sean Connery. This guy is the Bond. James Bond. Agent 007. Pretty much he is the icon of the spy movies.
After his iconic role, he never really got as famous, but he did got a break on USA screens in a movie together with Burt Reynolds. Also, you may know him from one of the Jean-Claude Van Damme movies - the Quest, where he plays a rather gentlemanly crook. But yes, pretty much - Bond. James goddamn Bond. Even today's movies like Kingsman are a not to the genre that this guy helped to create. And we are grateful for that.

Today, we regretfully bring you some sad news. Alan Bligh, the lead writer on the Horus Heresy games, has passed away. Alan was not only a valuable member of the Games Workshop family but a great human being. He was a talented writer, a dear friend and a supportive colleague. Our thoughts go out to Alan’s family and loved ones. We will all miss him dearly.

Alan worked at Games Workshop for 14 years and was a key member of the Forge World Studio for over a decade. He was utterly dedicated to his work and enriching the fictional universe that his words made real for so many.

Often found in Bugman’s Bar with a cup of tea in hand, Alan was a real gent, a warm man who spoke softly and emanated kindness. “Hello chap”, was among his favoured greetings and … Alan was never anything other than a pleasure to spend time with.

Generous with his time, Alan often attended events and hung around long after his seminars finished to talk with hobbyists and fans. His fellow writers in the Forge World and Citadel Studios often benefited from his insightful advice and collaborative approach. Alan was truly a walking encyclopaedia of Horus Heresy lore, and on more than one occasion came to the aid of a Black Library author, helping them craft a narrative that belonged in the universe he’d so lovingly curated.

Alan will be sorely missed and fondly remembered.

Definitely not as famous as the other chaps here, but Alan Bligh's been one of the main cogs in Games Workshop's stable, and still was up until his death. He's been massively responsible for a lot of good stuff for the Horus Heresy series, both in concert with authors for novels and the Warhammer 40,000 spinoff tabletop game.

He's also done work for a lot of Fantasy Flight's games, like Dark Heresy, Deathwatch and Rogue Trader (which @Kinnear and @Bavalt surely know), and even written novels for Arkham Horror.

Losing him right now, with Warhammer 40,000's 8th edition on the doorstep and the Horus Heresy game being stronger than ever, is a big blow I think. RIP, Alan. I'm sad I never got to have a chat with you at Bugman's... Should've gone to the Horus Heresy Weekender after all. Regret's overflowing.

In all the years I knew him, Alan never stopped working, never stopped creating, never stopped tweaking and fiddling with projects. We came up with an RPG rule set based on a draft I did back in 2003. He was still mucking about with it last year. His spaceship combat system, Star Killer, had so many iterations that the best idea when playing a test game was to ask for a fresh print out each time. His idea of a break was to switch gears into a different project.

The write-up really shows what an incredibly skilled, passionate and competent individual Alan Bligh was, and why his death is such a loss to the world of Pen and Paper and Tabletop gaming as a whole. The man did things."Only in Death does Duty End" has never been more fitting a mantra...

Adam West was always famous for the more goofy and camp Batman series, but he was also a regular voice actor, helping out in many movies, television shows, and even on some podcasts and web media such as guest appearances and segments on Funny Or Die. To add a cherry to the top of his voice acting career, many of the voices he did were simply of himself, or a likeness of Adam West, as a key character in multiple series' such as Family Guy and The Fairly Odd Parents. Most of all, he's continued to have voice roles in many of the batman series that have been put on TV. I think batman will be what he's remembered for the most...

Well, fuck. I guess, it is a thing, for rock-starts to die dramatically. You shine brighter than most, and you burn out faster than most, too. Chester Bennington - Linkin Park vocalist, in case you aren't aware - was found in his private home, dead after apparent suicide. Right now, details are scarce, but they say it was hanging. Noone can be sure of a reason, though, people speculate, that earlier death of Chris Cornell was part of it. Chris Cornell killed himself, also by hanging, and whose birthday it would have been this Thursday. Add to it alcohol and drug problems, which is a constant occupational hazard for rock-stars, and you can easily see, how they get emotional and kill themselves, of just plain overdose.

With being dead so early in life, Chester Bennington did give us a great deal of music. I mean, fuck, if you are a Linkin Park fan, I don't have to tell you anything. If you aren't - you still heard the songs, could not have avoided it in any way. So, if there's one thing certain - we do have a lot to remember him by now. Still, always sad to see a talent go. Always makes you feel a bit numb inside.

I don't have any word to say at the moment.. Speechless. I was just listening to his songs yesterday in my car. It's just.. really sad to hear to this news. Rest in peace, brother. We'll miss him so much

"Believe me, if I started murdering people, there'd be none of you left"- Charles Manson

Murderer, leader of a cult, all around likable guy. Wrote songs, broke law, killed people, told other people to kill people, and they actually did so. Lived long and died of natural causes. Thank you, state of California, and take that, law-abiding world.
Inspiration and a very curious case study in criminal science, even though his actual impact is more psychological than practical. But, without a doubt, a famous person, so he gets on the list.

"There is probably no heaven, and no afterlife either. We have this one life to appreciate the grand design of the universe, and for that, I am extremely grateful."- Stephen Hawking

Theoretical physicist, cosmologist, author and Director of Research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology within the University of Cambridge. His scientific works include a collaboration with Roger Penrose on gravitational singularity theorems in the framework of general relativity and the theoretical prediction that black holes emit radiation, often called Hawking radiation. The first to set out a theory of cosmology explained by a union of the general theory of relativity and quantum mechanics.

Sucks to see him go, though he lived a lot longer than most people expected he would, considering he'd been fighting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis for the bulk of his life.